After averaging 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals to help Missouri State split its two conference games last week, freshman basketball player Melissa Busby has been named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

 

Busby knocked down 3-of-5 three-point field goal attempts, grabbed a game-high seven rebounds, handed out three assists and recorded four steals in the Lady Bears’ win over UNI on Friday (Jan. 19). The 6-1 guard finished the contest 4-of-7 from the field and totaled 11 points in the 72-70 victory.

 

The Edmond, Okla., native followed up that performance with a 15-point, 7-rebound effort against Bradley on Sunday (Jan. 21), in which she went 4-of-7 from three-point range, hauled in seven rebounds and notched two more steals in a

career-best 34 minutes.

 

Busby has led the team in rebounding in two of its last three games, while posting double-digit scoring nights in three of the Lady Bears’ last four contests. In nine games this season, she is averaging 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest while shooting .459 (17-of-37) from three-point range.

 

Missouri State heads north for a pair of conference match-ups this week, beginning with a 7:05 p.m. contest against Creighton in Omaha on Thursday (Jan. 25). The Lady Bears will then meet Drake in a 2:05 p.m. game in Des Moines on Saturday (Jan. 27) to conclude the two-game road trip. Both games will be carried live on Mediacom cable channel 14 in Springfield.